


for eternity

by toxicmew



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Blood, M/M, Past Lives, Reincarnation, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:06:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27422437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toxicmew/pseuds/toxicmew
Summary: “I want to marry you, Jaemin. I do.”Donghyuck had to stop himself there, sucking in a shuddering breath as he gathered enough courage to pull back, his lips pressed together tightly to hold back another heaving sob. His fingers were gripping Jaemin’s shoulders tightly, keeping them pressed so close together only a handful of inches separated them. “I just — I can’t promise you forever. Ican’t.”
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Na Jaemin
Comments: 22
Kudos: 142
Collections: Challenge #3 — soulmates





	for eternity

“You never have liked the thought of forever.” Jaemin told him, his voice a low, rasping murmur and his lips cool against the side of Donghyuck’s throat. Donghyuck let a low sound of confusion escape past his lips, pulling himself back from the brink of sleep.

“What?” He asked, continuing to stroke languid fingers through the dark strands of Jaemin’s hair. They were both relaxed against Jaemin’s silken sheets, the mattress like a cloud against Donghyuck’s back as Jaemin’s cool body stretched comfortably over him.

Honestly, he had become far too accustomed to being Jaemin’s personal heater.

Donghyuck didn’t really mind. Not when it was the only way he could transmit a bit of warmth into Jaemin’s body, considering the vampire continued to refuse to bite him. Donghyuck still remembered the first time they had encountered one another, Jaemin’s body warm from a recent meal. He had just consumed the blood from a willing victim in a dark corner of the club Donghyuck had visited with his friends, blood collecting at the corners of his vibrantly red lips.

Then he had made eye contact with Donghyuck through the crowd, dark brown eyes with a glint of crimson, and both of them had been struck with the searing heat of their soulmarks coming to life.

That had been almost two years ago, now. Donghyuck had discovered a lot since that day, far too many things that he had never even thought possible, but here he still was. Serving as an ancient vampire’s mattress, content in the way Jaemin was running cool lips over the side of his neck, wishing that Jaemin would break through his morals and _bite._

Donghyuck knew he wouldn’t. Especially after what had happened earlier that evening, when Donghyuck’s eyes were still aching with the tears he had buried into Jaemin’s chest. The cause of his breakdown was still shining on his left finger, the ring clearly as ancient as Jaemin himself. The gemstones adorning the gold ring were probably worth more money than Donghyuck would ever see in his life, and Jaemin had offered him it while down on one knee.

Jaemin had looked so _earnest_ , his eyes shining with adoration, and Donghyuck had choked on a sob, falling to his knees and burying himself into Jaemin’s cold chest, his ear pressed against a heart that hadn’t beat in centuries. Jaemin had been confused, of course, his voice dripping with concern as he tried to coax an explanation past Donghyuck’s whimpering.

“I want—” Donghyuck began, cutting himself off when his voice cracked horribly, resisting against Jaemin’s gentle urges to tilt his chin up, resolutely keeping his face pressed into the soft fabric of Jaemin’s sweater. “I want to marry you, Jaemin. I do.”

He had to stop himself there, sucking in a shuddering breath as he gathered enough courage to pull back, his lips pressed together tightly to hold back another heaving sob. His fingers were gripping Jaemin’s shoulders tightly, keeping them pressed so close together only a handful of inches separated them. “I just — I can’t promise you forever. I _can’t_.”

And Jaemin had looked so horribly understanding, dark eyes flecked with crimson softening in the most impossible of ways. Jaemin had cupped Donghyuck’s cheek, cold fingertips gentle against Donghyuck’s skin as he wiped away his tears. “Oh, darling, I know.”

Then he had crossed those few inches separating them, pressing an achingly gentle kiss against Donghyuck’s lips. It was there that he continued speaking, one hand soothingly rubbing at Donghyuck’s hip, the other still catching any tears that fell. “I want to marry you anyway.”

And now they were in bed, pressed together as tightly as they were every night. Donghyuck could hear the night coming to life outside their window, food stalls sizzling away and the crowds murmuring through the open window despite the many floors that separated them. Donghyuck could feel the wind coming in through the open window, watching the way it had Jaemin’s ink-dark hair playing in the breeze before being soothed down by Donghyuck’s fingers.

He could see the bright colors of advertisements reflecting off the ring on his finger, the gold a stark contrast to the darkness of his soulmark. Donghyuck had always been mesmerized by the way his mark looked, pitch black at his fingertips before crawling up his forearm, lightening as it went and stroking over his skin like wisps of gentle smoke.

It was the darkest soulmark Donghyuck had ever encountered — Jeno’s was a baby blue splotch on the side of his neck, spotted like a constellation with dots of white, a perfect match for Mark’s, while Renjun’s was like the aurora borealis, a range of hues spread out over the length of his calf — but he had always been so _proud_ of it. Even when others would look at it dubiously, unnerved by the way even Donghyuck’s nails looked like he had dipped them in ink. Donghyuck didn’t care, because it was _his_ soulmark. It was the very representation of what linked his soul with another’s.

And now Donghyuck could intertwine his left hand with Jaemin’s right, their soulmarks a perfect mirror image of each other, only interrupted by the golden glint on the ring on Donghyuck’s finger. He had his soulmate here with him, right in his grasp, ready to stand by Donghyuck’s side for the rest of his life.

But it would be a life that would end, eventually, because Donghyuck knew he would never let himself be turned into a vampire. He loved the world too much, he loved his heart beating warmly in his chest, the rush of blood through his veins. He loved the warmth of the sun on his skin, the taste of food on his tongue.

Donghyuck loved to _live_ , and he would never trade the experience for anything. Not even for eternity.

Not even for Jaemin.

“You have never enjoyed the thought of never-ending life.” Jaemin told him, drawing Donghyuck back to the present, back to the words Jaemin had breathed out against his throat. Now Jaemin pulled back from him, pushing himself up onto his elbows so that crimson-tinged eyes could look down at him, holding so much warmth that Donghyuck would never think that Jaemin’s skin would be cold.

“What do you mean?” Donghyuck asked, confused but ready to listen, loosening his fingers from Jaemin’s so that he could reach up and cup his cheek. Jaemin had wiped away Donghyuck’s tears just like this, stroking at his face with a gentle touch until any trace of them were erased.

Now Jaemin was the one to lean into his touch, long lashes fluttering closed as Jaemin turned his head, pressing a kiss to Donghyuck’s darkened palm.

“I have lived for so long, darling.” Jaemin told him, gentle but resolute as he opened his eyes to stare at him seriously. “This is not the first time I have been blessed with your presence.”

Donghyuck gaped at him, his hands dropping down to the mattress bracing his body. Jaemin caught his soulmarked hand before it could completely fall pressing a gentle kiss to the back of it, petal-soft lips cold over his knuckles.

“You have?” Donghyuck questioned, unable to stop the way his voice cracked, too much hope filling his chest for him to even try. “Do you mean that I… I’ll be able to see you again?”

“Of course.” Jaemin told him, unwavering, eyes flashing crimson in his conviction. “I have stood by your side time and time again, and I will always choose to do so. You are my love, Donghyuck, in both this life and in the many that have long since passed. You have my soul in your hands, and I will always find my way back to your side.”

Here is where Jaemin paused, tilting Donghyuck’s hand slightly so that he could press a lingering kiss against the veins of his wrist. Like Jaemin was sealing his words with a silent promise.

“As long as I have eternity within my grasp, you will also have me.” Jaemin told him, steadfast and heartbreakingly sincere.

**Author's Note:**

> for those that went into this expecting some bloodletting, i apologize. rest assured, jaemin does finally bite donghyuck during their honeymoon ;)
> 
> [ [twt](https://twitter.com/toxicmew) || [cc](https://curiouscat.me/toxicmew) ]


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